Here is your Tuesday update, covering:
- ‘Voices of Grangetown' exhibition at Museum of Cardiff extended
- More than 1,800 pupils shine in spectacular musical showcase thanks to free lessons
- Low-carbon district heat network in Cardiff nears completion
‘Voices of Grangetown' exhibition at Museum of Cardiff extended
The ‘Voices of Grangetown' exhibition at Museum of Cardiff has been extended until April 26th 2025.
The exhibition, which shares the stories of people living in the community today, is the culmination of the museum's ‘Young Curators' project.
The project, which ran from September to December 2024, gave control of the exhibition to members of the Grange Pavilion Youth Forum, with the aim of diversifying the stories told in the Museum.
Funded by the Association of Independent Museums (AIM) and the Welsh Government Anti-Racist Wales Action Plan saw the Museum meet regularly with the ‘Young Curators' group to provide training on creating exhibitions and collecting oral histories.
Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Events, Cllr Jennifer Burke said: "The young people involved in the project chose the themes for their interviews, the questions they wanted to ask, the people they wanted to speak to - it's an exhibition about the community, developed by the community and told in their own voices. That makes it really special."
More than 1,800 pupils shine in spectacular musical showcase thanks to free lessons
Year three pupils from schools across Cardiff and The Vale of Glamorgan have been receiving free music lessons using pBuzz, voice, and woodwind instruments, in alignment with the Curriculum for Wales. This initiative is part of the broader efforts to enhance music education and provide enriching experiences for young learners.
The highlight of this year's program is the First Experiences celebration, which culminated in a massed workshop and performance. The event brought together over more than 1,800 pupils from 39 schools at The All Nations Centre, where they showcased their musical talents by playing and singing bilingually, accompanied by a live professional jazz band and vocalists from CF Music Education (formally Cardiff County and Vale of Glamorgan Music Service).
The initiative has been supported by the National Plan for Music Education (NPME) and delivered by CF Music Education tutors and professional musicians. The program includes Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers, now commonly referred to as Professional Learning, and school workshops. These efforts have significantly boosted teachers' confidence in using songs and pieces from Charanga Cymru, supported by CF Music Education's commissioned classroom resources.
Cardiff's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry said: "We are committed to enhancing music education and fostering a love for music among young learners. An important part of this is supporting schools and teachers in providing exciting opportunities for children and young people to experience the joy of music making, in the with the Curriculum for Wales."
Low-carbon district heat network in Cardiff nears completion
Construction of a low-carbon district heating network that will reduce carbon emissions from connected buildings in Cardiff by up to 80% is nearing completion, with the first heat expected to be supplied to customers in the coming months, once final commissioning and testing has taken place.
The £15.5 million Cardiff Council project, delivered with support from a UK Government grant and a loan from Welsh Government, will be the first of its kind in Wales. The network, which forms part of Cardiff Council's One Planet Cardiff response to climate change, will supply a range of buildings in Cardiff Bay including, the Senedd, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff and Vale College, the Butetown Hub, the Scott Harbour flats and a range of other Council buildings.
Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning and Transport, Cllr Dan De'Ath, said: "Switching on the heat network for the first time will be a significant milestone on the road to achieving our carbon neutral ambitions. It's a major green infrastructure project, the first of its kind on this scale anywhere in Wales, and will instantly eliminate the need for connected buildings to have gas boilers, reducing their carbon emissions by up to 80%. Over the course of a year that's going to save over 10,000 tonnes of carbon emissions once it's complete - roughly the amount of carbon produced from heating 3,700 homes."